First killer whales of the season spotted

In a view aboard Captain Dave's Dolphin and Whale Safari boat, killer whales swim off the bow of the Ocean Explorer as people watch and take photographs Saturday off the Orange County coast.COURTESY ELISSA A. THOMPSON

DANA POINT – When avid whale watchers Elissa and Jody Thompson didn't see sea life during the first hour of their boat trip from Dana Point Harbor, they thought something was up.

"We come out at least once a week and you see pods of dolphins all the time," said Elissa Thompson, a marine biologist from Dana Point. "We came out and there was nothing. We (the boat's captain) tried to find a fin whale for about an hour but there was no sea life around. Generally, whenever there's a predator like a shark, that's what happens."

This time though, it wasn't a shark. It was a pod of at least 15 orcas, including what boat Capt. Tom Southern said was a 3-month-old baby whale. The pod was spotted outside Newport Beach Harbor Saturday afternoon.

The killer whales, rarely seen, were the first spotted this year, Southern said.They were swimming north in about 300 feet of water not far from the Newport Beach Harbor heading toward Huntington Beach.

"We saw something and went full speed ahead into six-foot waves," said Southern, a captain with Capt. Dave's Dolphin and Whale Watching Safari. "It was wild. Everyone was getting wet. They were jumping out of the water. First there was one, then two, then three and pretty soon it was 15, including a large male and a little baby. All of a sudden all of the whale-watching boats in the area pulled up.''

Before the whales disappeared, "They swam by the side of the boat, like to say 'bye,' " he said.

Southern said he last saw killer whales a year ago in February.

What he has seen in the last two weeks, though, has been lots of sea lions. He's seen as many as 100 at a time, something he says is unusual. The orcas hunt sea lions as well as gray whales. With an increase in the amount of squid in the area, Southern says it's likely the extra bait has drawn more sea lions and with that possibly the orcas.

Orcas, like Shamu at Sea World, weigh about 6 tons and are among the fastest swimming mammals. They are about 20-26 feet in length and travel in family groups. They pass hunting skills through generations.

Elissa and Jody Thompson travel the world and photograph underwater wildlife. The killer whales may also be stalking the migrating gray whales, Elissa Thompson said. Some of the gray whales have birthed their calves in the lagoons of Mexico and are traveling north again. Thompson said the killer whales could be following the baby whales for prey.

"It's unusual, you only see them once or twice a year," said Jody Thompson, still excited from the encounter on Saturday. "We're in the water all the time, all over the world. To see them close and in person like this is amazing. This is the first time I've seen orcas off the coast here."

Faith Sheeks, of Orange, was on board with her parents and two siblings.

"It was really cool," she said from the boat. "They came close to the front and then jumped next to the boat on the side. I saw one that caught a bird on the water and then took it down. They were so amazing."

"They were jumping out of the water and playing really close to the boat," said Faith's mom, Blake Sheeks. "It was just beautiful. They were the first orcas I've ever seen in my life."

In a view aboard Captain Dave's Dolphin and Whale Safari boat, killer whales swim off the bow of the Ocean Explorer as people watch and take photographs Saturday off the Orange County coast. COURTESY ELISSA A. THOMPSON
Orcas swim off the Orange County coast on Saturday in this photograph taken aboard Captain Dave's Dolphin and Whale Safari. COURTESY ELISSA A. THOMPSON
Fifteen killer whales were spotted by whale watchers near Newport Harbour on Saturday. Boat captain Tom Southern said they were the first killer whales seen this season. DALE FRINK, DAVID ANDERSON/DOLPHINSAFARI.COM
Orcas swim off the Orange County coast on Saturday. COURTESY: Captain Dave's Dolphin and Whale Safari
Orcas swim off the Orange County coast on Saturday. COURTESY: Captain Dave's Dolphin and Whale Safari
Orcas swim off the Orange County coast on Saturday. COURTESY: Captain Dave's Dolphin and Whale Safari
Orcas swim off the Orange County coast on Saturday. COURTESY: Captain Dave's Dolphin and Whale Safari

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